conned meaning

Conned

Definition: The term “conned” is the past tense of the verb “con,” which means to deceive someone in order to gain something, typically money or personal benefit. It implies manipulation or trickery where the perpetrator uses charm, deceit, or persuasion to exploit the victim’s trust or naivety.

Usage:

• “He was conned into investing in a non-existent business.”
• “The scam artist conned many elderly people out of their savings.”

Etymology: The word “con” originates from the phrase “to con a person,” which is believed to derive from the word “confidence.” It reflects the idea of gaining someone’s confidence in order to deceive them. The word “con” has been in use since at least the early 20th century.

Pronunciation: /kɒn/ (UK) or /kɑn/ (US)

Synonyms:

• Deceived
• Trick
• Swindled
• Fool
• Dupe
• Bamboozled

Antonyms:

• Enlightened
• Informed
• Aware
• Educated
• Sincere

This term is often associated with various forms of fraud and dishonest schemes, emphasizing the element of trickery involved in such acts.

1. She realized too late that she had been conned by a smooth-talking salesman.
2. Despite his intelligence, he was conned into investing in a fraudulent scheme.
3. The detective worked tirelessly to uncover how the con artist conned so many unsuspecting victims.
4. After being conned out of her life savings, she became wary of mainstream advertisements.
5. He felt embarrassed after discovering that he had been conned by a fake charity.

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